Compaction machine



J. W. POULTER I COMPACTION MACHINE May 7, 1940.

Filed Jan. 7, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 y7, 1940- J. w. POULTER 2,199,649

7 COMPACTION MACHINE Filed Jan. 7. 1937 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 7, 1940.J. w. POULTER COMPACTION MACHINE Filed Jan. 7, 4 Sheet-Sheet s y 1940.J. w. POULTER I .1 .649

COMPACTLON MACHINE Filed Jan. '7, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 JII/faulierPatented May 7, 1940 NITED STATES- COMPACTION mom John W. Poultcr,Milwaukee, Wis; assignorto Koehring Company, Milwaukee, Win, acorporation Application January I, 1937, Serial No. 119,519

1 Claim. My invention appertains to the art of soil mechanics, andcomprises an "improved machine for compacting earth, the machine beingdesigned primarily to facilitate soil compaction in the building ofroads.

In the art of road building, more recent dc velopments of practice haveshown that treatment of a road subgrade with a view to dense compactionof the soil preliminary to the building of the road wear surface to becarried, by the subgrade, affords material advantage in prolonging thelife of the ultimate road constructed. Earth compaction, not only inrespect to pavement laid on new fills, but also in relation to oldestablished subgrades, acts as a preventive of settlement of the surfacepavement, which difficulty has been encountered in recent years in theconstruction of roads and has necessitated expensive repair operationsby way of elevating difierent sections of pavement that have becomelowered or settled on acount of the inability of the subgrade to supportthe same.

With the foregoing in mind, the machine of the present invention hasbeen designed, and said machine includes primarily novel rolling orrotary earth'compacting means mounted upon a suitable portable frame orsupport which may be operated to progress over the earth subgrade underits own power, or pulled in travel bymeans of a traction or draftvehicle in advance thereof.

The design of the rolling earth compacting members above referred to isunique in that the said members are operated at relatively high speedand are caused to act upon the soil or earth of the subgrade with acombined impact and kneading efi'ect, subserving the desired function ofthese members in accomplishing their function of densifying the saidearth or soil of the subrade.

The compacting members aforesaid are constructed and mounted in apeculiar manner in accordance with the invention. In construction theycomprise wheels or rollers which may be mounted upon a common shaft andare prefer-- ably disposed in spaced sets or pairs so that they arecarried loosely upon eccentrics which are splined on the supportingshaft to rotate therewith. The sets or pairs of wheels or rollers thuseccentrically mounted have the eccentric members which support thesamedisposed 180 apart I for balance purposes, and the arrangement is suchalso that the compacting wheels or rollers will strike the material tobe compacted, in. a special consecutive order, as will more fully appearas this description proceeds.

The novel mounting of the wheels or rollers as above pointed out is suchalso that not'only do the same afford a highly efficient impact means intheir action upon the soil or earth being treated, but said rollers,working in conjunction with theireccentric supporting means carried bythe eccentric driving shaft which supports said members, operate with apeculiar kneading or pressing action supplementing the impact actionabove referred to and tending to increase the ultimate compaction effectdesired to be obtained in the operation of the machine.

In the carrying out of my invention it is contemplated that thecompacting members may be constructed in different ways. They maycomprise wheels or rollers made up of a wheel structure equipped withpneumatic tires. Or, the compacting members may be provided with solidmetal band or rim structures; again, if desired, solid rubber tire meansmay be employed for the impacting and kneading peripheries of therolling compacting members.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying a preferred form ofthe invention,

though I do not wish to be restricted to the spe-' cial type ofconstruction-depicted in this figure, said construction being furtherexemplified in Figure 2.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a machine of the type shown in Figure 1,dotted lines illustrating the rear traction and steering wheels, dottedlines also illustrating the forward rolling compacting members, andother dotted lines illustrating certain steering and transmissionfeatures of the machine.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of a machine embodying the invention, thesame being of a trailer design intended to be pulled behind a suitabledraft or traction vehicle which may comprise a vehicle structureandcompacting means'of the type shown in Figuresl and 2. K

I so

Figure 4 illustrates forward and trailing earth compacting machines, thecompacting members of the trailing machine being shown in dotted.

lines and those of the forward or pulling machine being hidden by theencasing structure. In this figure the machines are so connected by thedraft device or clevis that the compacting members of the trailingmachine operate in staggered relation to the compacting members of thepulling or draft machine so that the spaces between the compactedportions of the earth treated by the forward compacting members will becompacted section illustrating certainof the compactingmembers in fulllines and one of them in cross section, to bring out the mounting of thecompacting member upon its supporting eccentric;

also illustrating the driving means for the shaft sections which carrythe compacting members, and the relation of the various peripheries of aseries of compacting members in reference to the surface being treatedthereby.

Figure 6 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 5, but illustrating amodified form of compacting members, the same having metallic rims orrigid metallic peripheries as distinguished from the type of compactingmember illustrated in the other figures of the drawings whereinpneumatic tires form the contacting peripheries of said members.

Figure '7 is a sectional view taken on the line 1-1 of Figure 5, lookingin the direction of the arrows and bringing out the relative mountingsof the supporting eccentrics for the compacting members and thecorresponding relationships established thereby, of the operatingperipheries of the said compacting members.

Figures 8 and 9 are diagrammatic illustrations for explanatory purposesin this specification.

Referring first to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, the exemplificationof the invention shown thereby will be described. According to thisconstruction, the earth compaction unitof the invention is incorporatedin a vehicle construction comprising a suitable frame A or chassismounted at its rear end upon driving and steering wheels B and supportedat its front end by the compacting members, rollers, or wheels of thecompacting unit, these latter compacting members being arranged in twoseries located at opposite sides of the longitudinal center of themachine. The compacting members or wheels of each series are designatedI, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, and these designations indicate additionally theorder in which the compacting members of each series perform their earthcompacting function by initial impact and subsequent pressure orkneading effect upon the earth or soil of the subgrade which is beingtreated for the purpose of compacting or densifying the same.

The mode of operation of the two series of compacting members, eachseries designated I to 6 inclusive, will be more fully describedhereinafter, but it suffices to state at this time that the frame orchassis A of the compacting machine is carried by the rear driving andsteering wheels B and the front compacting members I to 6 inclusive inone or more series, dependent of course upon the size or width of themachine and other factors, including manufacturing, and otherconditions.

The machine as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 is intended to be aself-contained motor-operated type machine, the motor (not shown) beinglocated near the rear central portion of the chassis. However, the motorshaft designated I is seen in Figures '1 and 2 as extending forwardlyand connected by suitable chain or belt 8 with a drive shaft 9 leadingto the rear axle unit that carries the driving and steering wheels B.Any suitable variable speed transmission mechanism may be employed forcausing the driving of the rear axle at different speeds for thecorresponding propulsion of the machine through the wheels B. A.driversseat C is provided, also a steering wheel D which is connected by anyconventional I or known means with the steering arms for the wheels B.The transmission and steering details are immaterial to the inventionand may be of many different types available.

At the front end of the machine is located a scraper E, the same beingadjustably mounted upon suitable supports at the front end of themachine by means of the bolts I6 adapted to pass through selected onesof a series of openings II of supporting plates which carry the saidscraper E. The function of the scraper E is to level off the roadsubgrade or other surface which is being treated by the machine justprevious to operation of the compacting members or wheels I to 6inclusive upon the subgrade.

In addition to the engine driven transmission mechanism above described,suitable transmission devices are interposed between the engine shaft 1and a transverse drive shaft I2, said transmission devices comprisingthe gears I3. 7

The transverse drive shaft I2 is connected at its opposite ends by beltsor endless members I4 with a driven shaft unit made up of two alignedshaft sections I5 mounted in suitable bearings in the frame or chassisof the machine. Each of the driven shaft sections I5 is operated by theassociated endless belt or chain means I I, which passes around a pulleyI8 on the outer end of said shaft section. Each shaft section I5,according to the construction of Figures 1 and 2, carries one of theseries of compacting members I to 6 inclusive, previously referred to. I

Any suitable provisions may be made for the quick removal of the ,shaftsections I5 for facilitating access to any one of the compacting membersI to 6 inclusive of the several series which are carried by said shaftsections I5. Such provisions may be those available to mechanics versedin the automotive vehicle art.

According to the construction of the machine of Figures 1 andv 2, themachine is advanced 'over a road subgrade under power of itsself-contained motor unit, the driving forward of the machine beingeffected through the steering and driving wheels B, and the machinebeing supported by said wheels B and the compacting wheels or members Ito 6 inclusive in one or more series as desired or required, accordingto the size of the compacting machine used. As the machine is drivenforward, the compacting members I to 6 operate upon the soil or earthover which they travel, while one or more of them is supporting thefront end of the machine, the surface treated by the compacting membersI to 6 inclusive being preliminarily levelled ofl by means of thescraper E. The detailed operation of the compacting members will be setforth hereinafter.

The machine of Figures '1 and 2 may operate as a traction or pullingmachine for compacting units operating at the rear thereof, saidcompacting units being made up of compacting members Ito 6,substantially as previously described, together with a suitable draftframe and engine unit for operating the compacting members to performtheir desired functions. At the rear end of the chassis or frame A, asseen in Figure 2,

will be observed a draft plate I1 having a'series of openings I8 for theconnection of a draft clevls or similar device for pulling a trailingearth compaction unit built in accordance with the invention. Theopenings I8 afford an adjustment such that the compacting wheels orrollers of the trailing vehicle may. be staggered in relation to therollers 'or wheels of the pulling machine or vehicle. whereby to ensurethat the entire surface over which the compacting members or wheels I to6 inclusive pass will be properly compacted by means of the invention.

Figures 3 to 6 inclusive illustrate the manner in which the compactingunit of the invention may be incorporated in trailing vehicles ormachines, and, referring first to Figure 3. it will be observed that thecompaction unit includes a suit: able frame G, at the front end of whichis provided an adjustable draft arm I 8'-'which may be connected by aclevis or like connection I9 with the rear end of a compaction machinesuch' as shown in Figure 2, or the rear end of an ordinary tractionvehicle of any kind having power sufficient to pull one or more of thecompaction machines like that illustrated in Figure 3. The machine ofFigure 3, details of which are shown in Figures 5, 6, and 7, includes amotor H,,,the driving shaft of which is connected by suitable endlessbelts 20, see Figures 5 and 6, with a driving pulley 2I located atapproximately the longitudinal center of the frame G of the compactionmachine. The driving pulley 2| will be operated under manual control ofa lever 22 adjacent to .the'. motor H, whereby the pulley 2| may bethrown into and out of action as desired. S'aidpulley 2| is engaged withthe splined adjacent ends of driven shaftsections 23 and 24 somewhatsimilar to the shaft sections I5 previously described." The shaftsections 23and 24 each-carry a series of compacting members or wheelsdesignated I to 6 inclusive and arranged to perform-their compactingfunctions upon-the subgrade or earthbeing treated, in the order of thedesignations I to 6 inclusivea's applied to the drawings, after amannersh'ortly to be described. Each shaft section 23. and 24,according: to the illustrated device, carries six of the compactingmembers I to 6 inclusive,

and said shaft section is supported by an inboard vertical'bearingmember 25 and an outboard vertical bearing member '26, said bearingmembers being equipped with the bearings-21 at their inner and outerends, according to any well known 'tire peripheries, asseen'in most ofthe figures of .the drawings and designated in Figure '5 at 29,

it may be necessary to replace the peripheral tire l compaction elementsatcertain intervals of'time,

due to wear thereon,

-' Construction and mounting of compacting-members The impact mediacomprising compacting members-I to Ginclusive are-mounted, as seen bestin carried. by, an eccentric. hub 30.. This hub 36 is splinedionthe'shaft section 23 or-Zl which happens-to carry the same, or the shaftsection I5, 2 according to the constructionof Figure 2. .-In

.the'above manner the eccentric hub 30 will be caused to. turn or rotatewith the shaft section :that carries the .same when the latter is drivenby the power means, whether the same be the engine or motor H of Figure3, or the .motor with the engine-shaft 10f Figure 2. The wheel structureof each compacting member I l to 6 inclusive is rotative on or abouttheeccentric hub 30 which carries ture of the compacting-wheel or member.Roller bearings 32 are illustrated in this connection. The eccentrics 30of each series of compacting features of members I to 6 inclusive arearranged in certain pairs with their high points 180 apart to afford abalanced rotation by the wheels carried thereby. Likewise, theeccentrics for the said series of compacting members I to 6 inclusiveare so arranged in relation to one another that the impact and kneadingactions of the compacting peripheriesof the compacting members willstrike or engage the soil or earth to be compacted in the order of thenumbers which are found applied to l the drawings in association withthe said series of g order of their numbers/namely, 3, 4, 5, and. 6.

Figure '7 illustrates how the various eccentrics 30 are disposed indifferent relations to bring about'the operation of the compactingmembers I to 6 inclusive. upon the earth or soil being treated; in theproper order described above.

- General operation of machine Now as the machine of the inventioncomprising the compacting unit as described above,

travels over the road subgrade-or'other surface to be treated, therewill always be a supporting of the frame of the machine by certain ones'of the compacting members I to 6 having engagement with the surfacetraversedu However, the positive rotation of the eccentrics whichsupport the compacting members I to 6 imparts to these compactingmembers an up and down movement, and it is thismovement that createsthev desired impact 'or pressure effect upon the earth surface overwhich the compacting members travel. The compacting members are ofcourse moved verti- (rally at a relatively high speed so that the impactI action of these compacting members is in the nature of an applicationof consecutive blows or impacts falling closely upon one another." It isfound in the practical operation of a'machine of the type of 'myinvention that the mode of operation of the compacting members by theeccentric members'30 afiords a tremendous increase in the densificationof the soil or "earth being treated by amachine of the type of theinvention,- owing to the relatively high powered quickly succeedingblows that are administeredincident tothe up anddownzdriving effectswhich "are applied to thecornpacting members during the rotation '-ofthe shaft parts that support and drive the eccentrio parts 30. Itappears as a result of the practical operation of the inventionth'at'the compacting treatment involves a combination impact andkneading effect upon the soil or earth according to the operation of a.machine incorporating the l I the invention as .hereinbeforexset forth.

' With further reference to theimpact and kneading effect previouslyreferred to, it is notable that the eccentric'motionof eachroiler.

produces in addition-to the impact'efiect a rolling motion of thecompacting members. If the axle member with the eccentrics thereoncarrying the various compacting members are rotated in the direction asindicated in Figure 8, with the direction of travel of the mach neaccording to the arrow 0. and moved ahead at the same time, each 7 lcompacting member will be carried up over new material during eachrevolution of the axis.

If the rate of travel in the direction indicated; as above described, isless than that of the travel ofthe compacting members caused by theeccentrics about which they may rotate, there will be a slight backwardrolling motion. However, if the rate of travel in the direction of thearrow a isgreater than the movement of the compacting members efiectedby the eccentrics; there will be no backward rolling motion, but achange in the rate of rolling motion and pressure along 'with the impactaction. The foregoing, together with the effects, derived from havingthe eccentrics spaced so that the adjacent compacting members do notcontact with the earth, at the same'time will produce a soil movementafter the manner illustrated in Figure 9 and thus'cau'se the desiredkneading action of the compacting members in all directions. Thus, ineffect, there are different kinds of movements caused on the partof thecompacting members, including the main up and I down movement eifectedwhilst a, rolling move ment is at the same time produced so as torendervery eflicient the compaction. operation due to the impactpressures produced downwardly as well as, the kneading effect upon thesoil being treated. It is known that most soils are composed of manyshapes and sizes of sand, silt, or clay particles that do'not fillentirely the space occupied by the soil. The spaces between theparticles are known as the voids, and create the porosity of the soil.In the compacting of soils, especially of the above nature, it isdesirable that the smaller particles be' moved into the spaces betweenthe larger ones to increase the soil density and decrease the voids. Bythe machine of this invention the above result is very excellentlyachieved because there is combined with the downward impacting action,the result of the rolling motion of the compacting members that producesthe kneading efiect found so desirable.

As regards the arrangement of the eccentrics to space the compactingmembers, if the eccentrics are set in pairs 180 apart for the purpose ofbalance, and then these pairs placed on the supporting axis or shaft at60? apart, the'order of operation of the various compacting members I to6 will be the orderas per the designations applied to these parts insaid figure. There are many orders which might be worked out, but itseems best, according to'the invention, to use an order or anarrangement in line of the machine contact and treat the soil at thesame time. If one of the I bers near the middle on one side and one nearthe outside on the other were to contact-with the soil drive the axis oraxes of the eccentrics at high speed, probably as much as 3,000 to 4,000R.P. M. and thus produce a corresponding number of im pacts all in thesame general line, because the alignment of thecompacting memberscarried by the eccentrics and these-impacts may be dis 'tributedqver anydesired distance as the 'ma-r 'or the compaction units G of Figure 4 maybe pulled by any ordinary traction or draft machine" operating undersuitable power.-

. H vi which the qomnacb a ng thus described my invention, what I ingmembers the same-distance from the centercompacting memchine movesahead, or at a rate-which depends upon the nature of the material andthe results acquired in respect primarily to the amount of'densification produced with the particular kinds of soil or earthconditions. I

The eccentric mountings andaxles described herein as provided for thecompacting members I to 8 are to be driven, of course, at relativelyhigh speed as intimated, but the compacting members themselves willrotate only as-the movement of the machine or the eccentric may causetric supporting machines. 'It is contemplated that if the tendency ofthe compacting member to rotate because of the friction in the'eccentricmountings therefor is found excessive, suitable friction or brake meansmay be employed to hold back the too free rotative movement or reduceitas may be desired.

Efiectively speaking, this invention may be said to involve not only newmechanical means, but also a novel method of soil or earth treatment forcompaction purposes.

Trailing compaction units Figures illustrates two compaction units ofthe type shown in Figure 3, connected up'in the relation of 'onetrailing the other, the rear unit connected by the clevis' l9 to thefront; unit.

Dotted lines show the frontunit in Figure 4 as when a turning operation.of the compaction units is being effected. The draft plates I!havcompaction of the whole surface which is to be treated. Two suchcompaction units, as illustrated in Figure 4', each being designated- G,may be employed in conjunction with a pulling compacting machine of thetype shown in Figure 2,

claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent of the United States,isi

In an earth compacting apparatus of the class ing the openings l8 aresimilarto those previousdescribed, in combination, a portable support, a

straight drive shaft rotatably mounted on said support and disposed in ahorizontal position,.a

plurality 'of angularly displaced eccentric mem- I bers mounted on saiddrive shaft in side -by-side relation to each other'and fixed to saiddrive v 'shattior rotation therewith, a wheel structure mounted on eacheccentric member and free to' rotate relative thereto, and means forrotating said drive shaft to cause the peripheries of the wheelstructures to intermittently and rapidly engage and disengage the earthin a predetermined order with an impingement and rolling motion, wherebyto produce an earth compacting eflect, accompanied by a kneading efiect.

I JOHN W. POULTER.

